"...George Wardle was a survivor of the pioneer company of 1847.  He lived in Vernal, Unitah county, and wrote an interesting letter to The Tribune full of pioneer reminiscences.  Mr. Wardle was born in Leek, Staffordshire,England, February 3, 1820.  He joined the LDS church in 1839, emigrated to Nauvoo in 1842 and passed through all the difficulties incident to the time, arriving at Winter Quarters in 1846.  He left there with the other pioneers and was with the party in all its travails and hardships.  He was one of the advance company to enter the valley with Orson Pratt and was the first to go to work whipsawing for lumber.  He and George A. Smith were among the first to plant potatoes in the valley.

Mr. Wardle was a great musician, one of the earliest singers in Utah and was a member of the Nauvoo brass band.  He, with James Smithers, conducted the singing for the ceremonies incident to the laying of the cornerstone of the Salt Lake temple in 1853, and was deeply interested in all branches of music.  He also taught dancing at Marcy R. Thompson's log house and among his early pupils were George Q. Cannon, Joseph Fielding Smith and others.  Until a few years ago there were many alive who used to dance at Mrs. Thompson's and nearly everyone remembered George  Wardle.  He died November 25, 1901 in Vernal, Utah.

donated by Wiley Smith